Pride of Saracens to offer Munster stern test

Stander is the third South African to win a Lions spot in the professional eraDAVID ROGERS/GETTY IMAGES

Six of the players named in Warren Gatland’s Lions squad yesterday will be on the Saracens side that will face Munster in Saturday’s Champions Cup semi-final in Dublin.

The selection of Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Billy Vunipola and Owen Farrell make the reigning European and English champions the club with the largest representation in Gatland’s 41-man selection, and that’s with the likes Chris Ashton, Sean Maitland and Alex Goode overlooked.

While Munster fans were thrilled to see Peter O’Mahony and CJ Stander rewarded with their first Lions selection, along with Conor Murray, the 2013 tourist, if the gap between the two sides is measured by Lions’ involvement it is a serious chasm.

On top of that, Murray is unlikely to play…

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